Horseshoe.



Patented May 2l, l90l.

' W. E. MESSACAR.

HORSES'HOE. (Application meg man '29, 1901.)

(No Model.)

...mmm i WW@ mw 'j 111mm m UNITED STATES PATENT EFICE.

WILLIAM EDGAR MESSACAR, OF ALBION, MICHIGAN.

HORSESHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,653, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed March 29, 1901. Serial No. 53,465. (No model.)

To a/ZZ 1072.071?, it 17m/y concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM EDGAR MEssA- CAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albion, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Horseshoe, of which the following is a speciiication. l

This invention relates to horseshoes, and particularly that class provided with rear yielding portions; and the object of the present improvement is to provide a shoe of simple construction having means for affording an extended bearing-surface for the frog and heel of a horses hoof of an immovable or rigid character and also to cause the rear extremities of the shoe proper, which are normally iiush with the upper surface of the said means, to depress by the weight imposed thereon, and thereby resiliently ease the blow of the shoe and comfortably facilitate the travel of the animal.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a horseshoe embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the parts in normal position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved shoe with a hoof thereon in dotted lines and showing the operation of the rear portion of the shoe proper when the weight of the animal is imposed thereon. Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation of the improved shoe.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral l designates the body of the shoe, having an upper depression or cavity 2 to receive the hoof of the animal and also provided With the usual form of toe-calk 3. The rear extremities 4 of the shoe are of a resilient character, so that they can be depressed by the Weight of the animal, and which will be effected when the hoof squarely strikes the ground or other surface, the said extremities being fully brought to bear on said surface at the under rear terminal portions, as shown by Fig. 3, when the full depressing operation is eected. As soon as the animal lifts his hoof, as in stepping, the said rear extremities will be free to return to their normally ele'- vated position, and thus the animal is given a yielding foot movement which will greatly facilitate his travel and also avoid jamming of the limbs and sore feet and also materially aid in preventing spread hoofs and .the for'- mation of cracks orfissures in the latter. The front portion of the shoe-body is slightly broadened to sustain the weight concentrated thereon and to prevent fracture of the said rear extremities 4, that might otlierwise result in view of the movement of the same. The under rear port-ions of the extremities are without calks and when depressed they assume a regular angle of inclination from the front portion of the shoe downwardly towardv the rear, and thereby bring more forceful gripping pressure on the toe-calli.

Extending centrally rearward through the center of the shoe from the front of the latter is a combined frog and heel support 5, which has front connecting-arms 6, with an opening between them, and a rear broadened extremity 7 in. transverse alinement with the rear terminals of the extremities 4 and wholly Within the planes of the latter, but having no connection therewith. The said support is rigid and While it prevents the congregation.

of material in the bottom of the hoof to a large extent it also permits the said hoof-bottom to be thoroughly ventilated,with obvious healthful advantages. The broadened rear extremity of the support is engaged by the heel of the hoof, and on the rear terminal of the under portion of the same is a heel-calk 8, whichextends completely over the Width of said portion of the support and provides an elongated stable bearing-surface, the lower edge of the calk being in the same plane as the toe-calli 3, and by this means the hoof will be given firm support at the rear or heel portion to effect the desirable operation of the calk 8, but at the same time have in addition the resilient action of the rear extremities 4 of the shoe. at the front side Vportions exclusively, so as to permit the extremities 4 to have their intended free resilient action. The improved shoe equalizes the pressure and concussion on the hoof and protects the latter` at all the tender portions thereof and avoids the forma- The shoe is fastened to the hoof IOO tion of eorns and the inietion of painful bruises, as Well as other accidents and diseases common in the use of the ordinary form of shoe.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- A horseshoe increased in Width at the front and having rearwardly-projecting resilient extremities depressible to touoh and bear on the ground or other snr-face by the imposed Weight when the shoe is brought squarely on said surface, and arearwardly-extending centrally-located support of an immovable charaeter With openings at the front and on each side, the rear extremity of the support being broadened and Completely located Within the WILLIAM EDGAR .MESSACAR- Witnesses:

H. L. BEMAN, URI MASON. 

